pink deviled eggs for easter

who can resist pink? even when it's an egg? well i can't, and any excuse to do something crazy with the incredible egg and I'm there. inspiration came from 'cooking stoned' where the eggs look like they are on drugs. Mine didn't quite turn out as bright as that. I think maybe I was missing the crazy lens on my camera, or perhaps a dash of cochineal. but the important thing with food is taste, right? and they did taste pretty good although choosing to use quails eggs instead of the full size chicken egg meant that it was a fiddly exercise - don't try this if you don't have patience!

Pour your water into a saucepan together with your peeled beetroot, a clove of garlic, brown sugar, bay, a couple of thyme stalks, peppercorns, vinegar, start anise and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer with the lid on for about 20 minutes until the beetroot is tender. Let that mixture cool completely.

In the meantime, put your eggs in a saucepan and cover with enough water to cover the eggs by at least an inch. Bring to the boil, and then remove from the heat, put the lid on and let them sit for 20 minutes.

Once the eggs have done 20 minutes, plunge them into cold water to stop them cooking further and leaving you with grey yolks.

Once the eggs are cool, remove their shells and place them in your (now cooled) brine. Leave them for ten hours at least, in the fridge. I experimented by putting some in still with their shells on, and others sans shell. The shell-less method works better for colour take up!

When they've done their ten hours, remove from the brine. Slice each egg in half. remove the yolk and place in a bowl. Add mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar and olive oil. Mash with a fork until the mixture is smooth. Add in salt to taste, and then 1/4 of the vodka. Slowly add in the rest, allowing the yolk to soak up the vodka with each addition until it becomes smooth.

Pipe it into the eggs - this is the fiddly bit, especially using quail's eggs! - but it's doable, and definitely easier with chicken's eggs! Lay them out on a plate and sprinkle some thyme stalks over the top with a grinding of pepper. Take to the table and be prepared for some oooohs and aaaahs!